Spain has a strong tradition of social tourism. The main actors are IMSERSO, SEGITUR, and COCEMFE. IMSERSO's program targets seniors over 65, offering affordable domestic trips during low seasons to improve quality of life and support employment. It allocates €300M annually, generating over 13,000 direct jobs and €1.53 returned for every €1 invested. The program supports social tourism for seniors, families in need, youth, and adults with disabilities.

1. Calypso study on social
tourism
Spain

4. Generality
 The tourism sector is
considered to be the
most important
economic sector in Spain.
 Tourism represents 10, 8
% of the gdp.
 Tourism employed 2,7
million people in 2005,
which is 12,4 % of the
total working population

5.  Competitiveness and
strengths
 The proximity to the
main European markets.
 Favourable weather
conditions.
 Several consolidated
tourist destinations.
 Large variety of cultural
resources distributed
across the territory.

6.  Weaknesses
 it’s
characterised by a
strong seasonal
component.
 Lack of identity in
tourism proposal for
traditional destinations.
 Excessive geographical
concentration of tourist
and residential
accommodation offer

7. Spain is one of the countries with a
stronger tradition in social tourism.
 In Spain, the main actors involved with social
tourism are of an institutional nature.
The most important are:
 IMSERSO is a management Organisation of the
Social Security, belonging to the ministry of
health and social policy

8.  SEGITUR is a public company created by the
ministry of Industry and tourism.
 COCEMFE is the Spanish Confederation of
Persons with Physical and Organics Disabilities.
 TheUGT, union general de trabadores, also
arranges it’s members requests for seats to
enjoy their holidays.

9. II The target groups of social
tourism in Spain

10. The segmentation profile: Senior citizens
 The population over the age of 65 in Spain is
more of 7 million.
 The economic problems derived from the fact
that participants depend on a retirement
pension.
 Accommodation is usually in hotels.

11.  The seniors like mostly
cultural visits to cities,
museum, sun and beach
tourism, gastronomy routes
(the food component is
increasingly important).
 Thisgroup can travel during
the low season, as they are
not usually engaged in
employment.

12. Young people
 Between 15 and 35 five years old, there is
more than 12 million people in Spain
• Constraints:
 The economic difficulties: young people with
low income
 Geographic obstacles: young persons living in a
rural or remote area.

13.  They prefer European
destinations.
 The accommodation will
depend on the nature of
travel, but for them it’s easy
to find.
 The demand of activities is
wide.
 They are very sensitive to the
price.
 The period as many of them
are students, is summer or
other school holidays.

14. Families facing difficult circumstances
There is a lack of legal and institutional
definition of this group, the limits of which are
blurred.
•Constraints:
Tourism of families with difficulties is not
developed in Spain. Marketwise doesn’t exist.

15. Adults with disabilities
The sector represents between 9% and 10 % of
Spanish population.
 Who are they: between 18 and 60 years old,
with a disability of more than 33%
•Constraints:
 Economic problems because most of them
depend on a non-contributing pension.

16.  Problems derived from
their own disability.
 Difficulties derived from
living in a rural or poorly
communicated area.
 According NGOs, 84% of
all like travelling. Demand
largely exceeds the
existing supply subsided.
 The accommodation
usually takes place in
hotels.

17. III The IMSERSO program
(Instituto de mayores y servicios
sociales)

18. Generality
 The program
 IMSERSO was created in
1985, it starting offering
16000 seats and until now it
has offered 1,2 million seats.
 The target group is seniors
from the age of 65.
 Since it started, more than 10
million persons have taken
part in this program.

19.  The objectives
It’s a social program with a
double dimension:
 To improve the quality of
life and wellbeing of
seniors.
 To favour the creation an
maintenance of
employment and economic
activity during the period
of low activity.

20.  Requirements, modalities and duration:
 Aged 65 and over.
 Pensioners of the Public Pension System.
 This is an intra-regional social tourism program.
There are no exchanges.
 Cultural trip: 6 day routes, full board.
 Nature tourism: 5 days full board, in
recreational and contemplative areas.

21.  Description of
support
mechanisms
 Partial financing from
the IMSERSO, equal
for all persons.
 Reservation facilities:
more than 9300 travel
agencies offer the
programme.

22. Funding mechanisms and results
• Description of funding
mechanisms
 the total amount of
direct resources
allocated to be 300
million euros.
 The following economic
impact is estimated: 1,53
euros are recovered by
the state for every euro
invested.

23.  The result on the Spanish economy
 13000 direct jobs and 85000 indirect jobs in the
low season are created every year.
 The employment generated has a direct
repercussion on the public administration
income.
 Not only sun and Beach destinations: Inland are
included. ( more than 82000 persons in 2007-
2008).
 Wealth and employment are generated in all
regions.